Ahead of Election Day, IAVA Releases Voter Guide for Veterans’ Issues

Issue guide will help Americans cast smart votes to support new veterans on November 4th

Washington, D.C. (October 6, 2014)
– In advance of midterm elections, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of
America (IAVA), the nation’s first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization representing post-9/11 veterans and their families, has
released a guide to help voters assess candidates on their support for
vital veterans’ issues. The 2014 IAVA Veteran Voter Guide
focuses on policy issues for: combating suicide among troops and
veterans; ending the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability
claims backlog; improving support for female veterans; combating effects
of burn pit exposure; defending veterans’ education benefits; and
lowering the veteran unemployment rate. The guide includes issue
summaries and a checklist to help every American evaluate a political
candidate’s platform and talking points.To read the full 2014 IAVA Veteran Voter Guide, click here.
Also included in the nonpartisan guide are questions voters can ask
directly to candidates running for office; techniques to use when
raising veterans issues at town halls and political events; and a
tear-away Call to Action page. IAVA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not endorse any candidates for office or support any political party. “This
election year, IAVA wants to make sure that every veteran’s voice is
heard loud and clear by candidates across the country,” said IAVA CEO
and Founder Paul Rieckhoff. "This is a pivotal year for the military and
veteran communities, as 22 veterans die by suicide each day and our
country marks 13 years in Afghanistan. We expect more than yellow
ribbons and campaign speeches from our lawmakers. Thousands of
servicemembers will be returning home this year and our country isn’t
yet capable of meeting their needs. From increasing mental health care
access to modernizing VA services for the unique needs of women, each
American’s vote will get us one step closer to improving the lives of
the new greatest generation.” IAVA
and its supporters want to see smart policy and tough decisions from
leaders of both sides of the aisle on six critical issues: 1. Combating suicide among troops and veterans:
According to the VA, 22 veterans die by suicide each day. Combating
veteran suicide has been IAVA’s top priority in 2014 with the “We’ve Got Your Back: IAVA’s Campaign to Combat Suicide.”
In July, House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) Chairman Jeff Miller
(R-Fla.) introduced the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention For American
Veterans Act (Clay Hunt SAV Act), H.R. 5059. Once passed, the bill will
combat veteran suicide and improve access to mental health care. IAVA is
urging for bipartisan support for H.R. 5059.2. Ending the VA disability claims backlog:
Although the VA has made significant changes to meet its goal of
reaching backlog zero by FY 2015, there is still work to be done.
Currently, more than 230,000 veterans are stuck in the disability claims
backlog. IAVA continues to call on the VA to create an infrastructure
that allows the disability compensation system to protect future needs
and adapt to a growing population of new veterans and even more complex
injuries.3. Improving support for female veterans:
Women are the fastest growing segment of the veteran population.
Similar to their male counterparts, women are facing challenges with
unemployment, suicide and accessing mental health care. According to
the latest data from the VA, 57.4 percent of female veterans are
enrolled in VA health care. However, the VA health care system is not
designed to support the unique needs and experiences of female veterans
with a lack in even the most basic VA services. IAVA is urging the VA to
modernize its health care system for our women warriors. 4. Combating effects of burn pit exposure: According to IAVA’s 2014 Member Survey,
76 percent of respondents were exposed to burn pits while deployed and
54 percent of those exposed feel they have symptoms associated with that
exposure. IAVA urges Congress to pass the Helping Veterans Exposed to
Toxic Chemicals Act (H.R. 2510) to help improve health outcomes for
veterans exposed to burn pits. 5. Defending veterans’ education benefits:
The Post-9/11 GI Bill (or New GI Bill) has been the best investment our
country has made in its veterans since World War II. However, GI Bill
benefits are under attack. Due to the “90/10 loophole,” some for-profits
are targeting the New GI Bill to line their pockets with taxpayer money
by aggressively and deceptively recruiting veterans while failing to
deliver the high-quality education and career opportunities they
promised. Congress should pass legislation to close the 90/10 loophole
that causes veterans to be unfairly targeted by some predatory
for-profit schools.6. Lowering the veteran unemployment rate: Post-9/11 veterans have consistently experienced a higher unemployment rate than their civilian counterparts. According to IAVA’s 2014 Member Survey,
10 percent of respondents are currently unemployed. While veteran
unemployment rates have gradually declined in the last few years, there
are still populations of veterans that are struggling more than most.
IAVA calls on Congress to pass legislation to translate military skills
into equivalent certifications.Note to media: Email press@iava.org
or call 212-982-9699 to speak with IAVA CEO and Founder Paul Rieckhoff
or IAVA leadership about pressing veterans issues during the 2014
midterm election cycle. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org)
is the nation's first and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization
representing veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and has nearly 300,000
Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide. Celebrating its 10th
year anniversary, IAVA recently received the highest rating -
four-stars - from Charity Navigator, America's largest charity
evaluator.

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